Ponitka Shines At Hoop Summit

Mateusz Ponitka confirmed his status as one of the top prospects in Europe at the Hoop Summit

Poland's Mateusz Ponitka underlined his status as one of the best young talents in Europe with an impressive display at the 14th annual Nike Hoop Summit.

The shooting guard, who represented his country at the U16 and U18 European Championships the past two summers, poured in 17 points to lead the World Select in scoring.

Ponitka was seven of 13 from the floor and one of three from long range but struggled at the free-throw line, making just two of five attempts.

The USA won the Hoop Summit, 92-80.

The event is a game featuring 10 elite US high school seniors and 10 elite under-19 players from the rest of the world.

Dario Saric, a member of Croatia's side at the U18 European Championship last year, had seven points and six rebounds in 15 minutes.

Saric played for KK Zagreb in this season's EuroChallenge.

France shooting guard Evan Fournier of Poitiers, another standout at the U18 European Championship in 2009, contributed six points and six rebounds while young Latvian Davis Bertans hit a couple of three-balls and scored eight points.

Another World Select player who has a connection to Europe, Fuenlabrada's Bismack Biyombo, had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks.

Biyombo has been a sensation at his ACB club this season.

His immediate future is unclear, though, as Salva Maldonado, the Fuenlabrada coach, warned the 18-year-old that if he left to play in the prestigious event, he would no longer feature in the first team.

Llull Has Torn Muscle

Spain international Sergio Llull is facing three weeks out of action after tearing a leg muscle in Real Madrid's 3-2 series triumph over Power Electronics Valencia in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Quarter-Finals.

The shooting guard is expected to be fit and ready to help the team when they play Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Final Four in Barcelona.

Llull has played for Spain the last two summers and helped them capture gold at EuroBasket 2009 in Poland.

Babkina, Krnjic Selected In WNBA Draft

Gdynia's Elina Babkina had a stand out rookie season in the EuroLeague Women

Elina Babkina, a Latvia national team point guard who is on the books of Polish Cup winners Lotos Gdynia and competed in this season's EuroLeague Women, was the 29th pick overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in Tuesday's WNBA Draft.

Babkina, who turns 22 on April 24, averaged 13.2 points, 4 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague for Lotos.

The Most Valuable Player of the Polish Cup, Babkina will in June be with Latvia when they compete at the EuroBasket Women in Poland.

Sara Krnjic, a 1.93m center with Pecs 2010 in Hungary, was taken by the Washington Mystics with the 35th pick overall.

Krnjic, 19, represented Serbia at the 2010 U20 European Championship Women and averaged 13.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

She has been named in Serbia's preliminary squad for the Additional Qualifying Round games for the EuroBasket Women.

A couple of players likely to feature in the EuroLeague Women in the years ahead, Maya Moore and Liz Cambage, were taken first and second overall.

Moore, 21, played for Team USA's gold-medal winning side at last year's FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic.

Cambage, a 19-year-old center, was Australia's best player in Karlovy Vary and led them to a fifth-place finish.